The Republican journal., 1887-01-06
Local Review Of the Year 1885.

was followed by spring several weeks in advance
of the preceding year. In January an ice storm
which coated everything several inches with ice
visited this section, damaging fruit and shade trees
to an extent that time only can repair. heavy
blockade of suspended trains and all bust
ness for nearly week The summer was unusual
ly dry, little or no rain falling The autumn was
delightful and the winter came on early. The
crops were good, especially the hay crop, which
was considerably greater than in 1885.
RAILROAD AND FINANCIAL MATTERS.
Local railroad and financial questions caused one
Of the most bitter partisan fights known in the
mails of city the effects of which it will require
years to efrace. Political barriers were broken
down, and families divided The party controlling
the city, and consequently the railroad, in ia
of passing the railroad dividends and carrying
the rental to a sinking fund with which to pay the
mortgage note of Sl5OOO0 when due in 1890 This
would deprive the city of the dividends due it and
continue the excessive rate of taxation. The OPP
posing party was in favor of dividing the railroad
rental among the stockholders, paying to the city
annually nearly $4,000 thereby relieving
hurdened people from the high taxes they had for
many years endured and in 1890 the mortgage note
was to be refunded at lower rate of interest. The
railroad directors voted to pass all dividends and
create a sinking fund account. A suit was then
brought to compel the directors to divide the rem
tai. which suit is now pending before the courts.
Upon these issues the two parties styling them
selves Tax Reducers and Tax Payers went to the
polls after exciting campaign. The result was
the election of Charles Baker, Tax Payer candidate
for mayor, by of CAB to GAL for Albert G. Bur
CESS, the Tan Reduccr candidate. The Reducers
elected a majority of the Common Council. In the
Board of Aldermen the Reducers carried wards
and 4, the Payers and ), with no choice in ward ,.
The Tax Payer Aldermen, assisted by the Mayor,
by most extraordinary methods, to use no harsher
terms attempted to seat Mr.. c. W. Haney as AL
derman for ward ,. This procedure, if successful,
would have given them control of the railroad the
great question at issue. Many disgraceful scenes
were enacted at the city government meetings and
finally the question was referred to the Supreme
Court To offset Mr. Haney the Reducers swore
in their candidate, L. W. Pitcher who they claim
ed was elected at special election the day follow
ing the general election. The Court decided that
there WAS no election for alderman in ward 2, and
IA new one ordered. At the special election
Thomas W. Pitcher chosen alderman This
gave the Reducers the control of railroad matters
and at the annual election Of the stockholders of
the Il. & NJ. ii. l.. X. r. Co. a entire new board of
directors was chosen, and Charles Ii. Hazeltine
made president in place of l. NJ. Boardman. The
new board divided the rental the city receiving in
May -, !sS its preferred stock and a. 6s5 20 on
its non preferred, and in November $4,ISS on its
preferred stock, and 5045. 80 its non preferred
stock. The city government appropriated but $29,
ooc for annual expenses instead of $60,5OO, appro
priated in 1888. The rate of taxation was conse-
quently reduced from $3.50 per $1,000 in 1885, to
IA on $1,000 in 1856
\ great improvement in train facilities was
brought about by President Hazeltine Since Aug
sd there have been four trains daily ON the Bel
fast Branch three passenger trains and freight
train This change has been followed by crafty.
ing increase in both passenger travel and freight
traffic while the community has highly appreciated
the improved mail facilities. Marked improve
ments have been made at the station in Belfast and
at several other points along the line.
INDUSTRIES.
All of our local industries have enjoyed their
usual prosperity The Matthews Bros. at their
SASH blind and door factory have run large crew
AL the year. Durham Il Hall, in the same bust
ness, haye increased their orders. c. J. Hall has
been busy at his stone yard and has employed a
large number of men. Fcrnald Bros and George
Mayo have also had good years work in the
granite business. The Oak Hill granite company
at City Point has changed hands in measure.
Mr.. Mitchell, large granite contractor at Quincy
Mass, is now a stakeholder and manager. 1t is
expected that another season a large crew will be
employed at the Point. Mr.. Craig, who ran small
granite business, has suspended operations. KEEL
ley's axe factory and Sherman's leatherboard
factory, east side, have done fair amount of bust
ness liaskell's wool and cartling mill has been
successful and ii. f. Pierce harvested his usual
crop of ice. Critchett 4 Sibey's shoe factory has
run full force during the year and turned out the
usual quantity of first class work. All our indus
tries, both great and small, have prospered.
SHIPPING.
But two vessels were built and launched during
the wear Feb l1th the sch. Puritan, ZIG tons, was
She was built to carry granite in C. j. Halls bust
ness. Aug. l4th, the barkentine Priscilla 800 TOMS
for Baltimore parties, launched from the
yard of Geo W. Cottrell. Mr. Cottrell has vessel,
duplicate of the Priscilla, under contract to
build The outlook for shipbuilding another season
Is not bright although our builders have had some
advances toward the building of several coasting
schooners. In the business of rebuilding and re-
pairing vessels, Carter 4 Co., who run the Mer.
chants Marine railway, have done large amount
of work. giving much employment to ship carpen-
tiers. Dyers railway has also done fair amount
of work. Three yachts are now building which
will be launched in the spring
The merchant marine has not been very success
1ul. FreiShts which were low with the beginning
OF the season, were better at the close. No Belfast
vessel has been lost during the year, but the usual
amount of casualties have happened. Sch. Prescott
Hazeltlne has been extremely unfortunate. Jan.
Mh, on passage from Belfast to Jacksonville she
was caught in gale Of wind of Boon Island and
after losing one man and number of sails put
INTO Boothbay in damaged condition. July llth
on the passage from Boston to Belfast she struck
on the Old Man ledge receiving serious damage
Dec I'D on the passage from Jacksonville to Bos
ton, lumber loaded, the Hazcltine struck OH the
southeast breaker off Bakers Island near salem
and was lowed to Marblehead and subsequently to
Boston. She was badly damaged. Sept I'd, sch.
Meyer Muller from the South for New York.
lumber loaded, struck on sand bar on the coast
of Maryland where she remained several days.
She was gotten of, but incurred heavy damages
Sch. Mary a. Hail. late in December was in col
llsion in the Delaware with German ship sustain.
ing serious damage,
NEW BUILDINGS.
Not much new building was done early in the
season, but considerable boom struck the city
late in the fall. large brick extension was built
i'll the rear of r. II. COombs 4 Sons furniture
store, which they occupy. Durham 4 Hall have
built large double tenement house on Church
street. Ben knowltOn has built handsome dwell
ing house on lower Congress street. Alpheus
Dyer has built house on Union st. Wallace Tur-
ner one on Waldo avenue. Mr.. Putnam one on the
searsport road, and two small dwellings have been
erected on the east side above the lower BRIDGE
VIM {. Marshall has built a large store house on
the wharf he bought of Daniel Haraden, and f.
f. Hanson is building large carriage repository
at the corner of Washington and Bridge Streets
Willis Hamilton built a hot house for plants and
early vegetables on the POOr's Mills road and in
the fall began the erection of conservatory in the
city. The usual amount of repairing and remov-
ing buildings has been done, including the rebuild
ing of Lewis wharf at the foot of Main street
Mayo and Libby have built stables below Condor
st.
FIRES.
No disastrous fire visited our city during the
year, for which we may thank special providence
and an efficient night watch The summer was
unusually dry and for long period there was
little or no water in the reservoirs. In this emer
gency Mayor Baker put extra night watchmen.
Inc most disastrous fire occurred on Thursday